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I was born in the 60's in Mississippi. I was also born gay. Yes, that's right BORN gay. Believe me, I tried to pray "it" away at church every Sunday like a good Christian girl from the South. I tried to date "it" away, dating good guys who didn't understand why I wouldn't, no couldn't, be with them completely. I wanted so badly to be straight like my friends. But I couldn't change it anymore than I could change having brown eyes. And I knew I would never fit into what kids thought was normal.

When I finally met my first love, I was 17. I fell in love and didn't have one friend who I could tell. There was no giggles and gossip and no gushing about how beautiful, smart and wonderful she was. There were definitely no "meet the parents" dinners. I endured the love and loneliness alone. The passion was liberating but the breakup was almost unbearable.

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Joel De La Rosa is a CNN Senior Photojournalist. He is based in Dallas.

"Fried beer! Fried beer! Get your fried beer here!"

The minute you enter the food court at the 2010 State Fair of Texas in Dallas, the call cuts through the crowds of people and the smell of cotton candy and roasted corn. Booth vendors shout the choice of foods, "Fried beer...fried club salad...fried caviar!"FULL POST

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Fame Bites goes inside the belly of the entertainment beast. We're dishing out where the celebrities are eating, what they're eating and who they're eating with.

Andy Cohen is Bravo's Senior Vice President of Original Programming and Development. This pretty much makes him the network's head honcho when it comes to the channel's lineup of shows - including that little reality program you might know as “Top Chef."

Cohen also hosts and executive produces “Watch What Happens Live,” his late night talk show (airing Thursdays at 10 p.m. ET) where there's certainly no shortage of celebrities like Sarah Jessica Parker, Tina Fey and Jerry Seinfeld - or on-air imbibing.

Cohen recently served up the reason he's scared to cook with Padma and Tom, his tipple of choice and where he took “The Real Housewives of Orange County” for his craziest dinner yet.FULL POST